What tree species?

Healthy urban trees in our region need to be drought tolerant, sized right for the place they will be planted, and provide shade and other benefits. 

Consider these factors:

• How big do you want your tree to be when it is mature?
• What tree form/shape is right for your spot? (Round, weeping, spreading, or upright?)
• How about character, color, and special features? (Evergreen, deciduous, native, flowering, etc.)
• How much time do you have for maintenance?

Kate’s urban forester is working with our local wholesale nursery and local retail nurseries to offer about ten shade trees and six native trees for purchase, and the trees under consideration are listed below. A longer list of suitable trees is available in this table [need to insert table]. Other trees can be identified by browsing UFEI’s Tree Selection Guide.

The following trees have been selected by arborists, grown at local wholesale nurseries, and are in stock and available for purchase at Walter Andersen Nursery at their Old Town location. They are listed in the table below. More trees suitable for San Diego urban growing conditions are listed in this table .

Small trees are to be planted in planting space less than 25 feet, medium trees in planting spaces up to 50 feet, and large trees in planting space greater than 50 feet. Measure your planting space

Native Trees to Purchase at Walter Andersen Nursery (Old Town)

Scientific Name	Common Name	Size
Cercis occidentalis	western redbud	small
Chilopsis linearis ‘ Monhews‘	desert willow ‘Timeless Beauty’	small
Heteromeles arbutifolia	toyon	small
Hesperocyparis (Cupressus) forbesii	Tecate cypress	medium
Prosopis pubescence	screwbean mesquite	medium
Prunis ilicifolia subsp. lyonii	Catalina cherry	medium
Pinus torreyana	Torrey pine	large
Acer negundo or A. macrophylla	California box elder or big leaf maple	large
Quercus agrifolia	coast live oak	large

Ornamental shade trees to purchase at Walter Andersen Nursery (Old Town)

smallScientific Name	Common Name	Drought Tolerance	Size
Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’	Eastern redbud	good	small
Eriobatrya deflexa	Bronze loquat	moderate	small
Lagerstromia indica	Crape myrtle	good	small
Albizzia julibrissin	mimosa	good	medium
Arbutus x ‘Marina’	strawberry tree	good	medium
Olea europaea ‘Wilsonii’	fruitless olive tree	very good	medium
Lophostemon confertus	Brisbane box	good	large
Jacaranda mimosifolia	jacaranda	good	large
Magnolia grandiflora	Southern magnolia	good	large

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